Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jarred Tinordi hasn't appeared in a game yet in the 2015-16 NHL season, but his presence in the Habs press box has still drawn quite a bit of attention from team's around the league. Tinordi, stuck as a spectator through 17 games in part because the Canadiens are kicking butt on the ice and rolling a healthy top-six blueline, in part because if Montreal GM Marc Bergevin sends him to the AHL, he'd be subject to waivers, has reportedly begun to draw trade interest.
According to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun, NHL teams are "watching closely," and have begun reaching out to gauge Tinordi's availability.
Tinordi, a former first-round pick of the Habs in the 2010 NHL Draft, has spent the majority of the past three seasons with the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs. The defense-first blueliner has managed just six goals and 23 assists during that time - along with six assists and a combined minus-two in 43 NHL games in that time - but he remains a coveted asset viewed as the type of player who could still develop into a shutdown defender at the NHL level.
Unfortunately, with the Habs carrying eight defenseman and playing like the best team in the league - they're currently 13-2-2 and in the top spot in the Atlantic Division, the Eastern Conference and, well, the NHL - there hasn't been a time or a place for Tinordi to step in and contribute.
While it's no surprise that Tinordi's situation is being monitored closely by other teams around the league, it's interesting to hear that an already-strong Habs team could be on the verge of getting even better. If the right deal presents itself - perhaps for a forward with some size - Bergevin could potentially turn an asset that hasn't provided any impact on the ice for the team this season into a significant contributor to the Canadiens' Cup chase, presumably improving the franchise's postseason prospects exponentially.
